A Moment Out of Time
by Kavi Leighanna
Summary: Years 'Verse - And we could pretend it all the time. Can't you see that it's just raining? There ain't no need to go outside. -Jack Johnson "Banana Pancakes" (Hotch/Prentiss)
1. Chapter 1

Their alarm goes off early.

Well, his alarm goes off early. She hasn't woken to one in weeks that isn't under the age of five. Not in the traditional way, anyway. This morning, though, he doesn't sigh and get out of bed. Instead, he rolls into her back, curls up around her and gets his arm around her very pregnant belly.

"At least hit the snooze button," she mumbles into her pillow, even as she snuggles back into him.

"I hate the snooze button."

"Make it stop buzzing."

He huffs, but does as he's asked. She expects that to be the catalyst then, expects him to roll out of bed, get started on the day. But he doesn't. He curls around her again, curls around them, and settles in.

"Aaron."

"It's raining."

She snorts. "Unfortunately, honey, rain doesn't stop the world from working."

His hand runs over her belly, over their lethargic baby. Emily had been worried a few weeks ago, but her OB/GYN had promised their son - _son_ - is perfectly okay. Maybe they'll finally get a good sleeper. Third time's the charm, after all.

"I don't want to go out into the rain."

Even though she's biting her lip, Emily knows her body's shaking with laughter. It doesn't happen very often, but he does this sometimes, just… completely shoves aside all of his responsibility. They're tiny glimpses into the kid he must have been before SWAT, the Bureau, even the prosecutor's office got their hands on him. She rubs her fingers over his arm.

"You have to go to work."

Silence falls and she can feel his reluctance.

"What if I don't?"

"What?"

Another pause. "It's Spring Break," he says. "It's Spring Break and it's raining and you're here with all the kids-"

"It's not difficult," she tells him, reassures him. Sure, they've had Jack since Wednesday, but he's the best big brother she could have asked for. "We're getting along."

He brushes back her hair, presses a kiss to her neck. "I feel like I'm missing out."

Emily rolls over. It takes her a few more minutes on account of her stomach, but she doesn't mind. "You're not," she promises. "No one feels like that."

He strokes his fingers over her cheek, down her neck. She shivers because she always does. Her hormones are totally out of whack, even though she rarely has the energy for such strenuous activity. Even so, her body arches and pushes towards his when he presses his mouth to hers. Her belly's in the way though and she groans as she pulls away.

"God, I can't wait until I can actually move again."

"You're beautiful," he murmurs against her mouth. This kiss is lighter, more soothing than anything else.

"I'm a whale," she retorts, "but thank you." She kisses him again. "You're going to be late."

The conflict sits in his eyes for another moment before it clears. "I'm calling in."

She pulls back. "I'm sorry?"

"It's raining, it's Friday, it's Spring Break. Someone else can take my classes for the day."

"Aaron Hotchner," she murmurs, unable to resist leaning in again. There's something about him and their bed – maybe even her hormones – that can't do anything but want him. "Who are you and what have you done with my husband."

"Call it a long weekend," he says reaching for his phone. A few moments later and he's curling up against her again, his hand stroking over her stomach. She sighs.

"This calls for a celebration," she murmurs. "A special breakfast."

He laughs just a little. Special breakfasts are for weekends. Saturdays usually. Something other than a quick bowl of cereal or toast on the way out the door. "What did you have in mind?"

"Banana pancakes," she says immediately, because now that the thoughts in her mind she can't let it go. "Baby wants pancakes."

He kisses her again. "Pancakes," he agrees and moves to get up. But she tugs on his arm, rolls back over and wraps him around her.

"In a bit. We've got twenty minutes before AJ wakes up and I want to take advantage."

Aaron, of course, doesn't argue.


	2. Chapter 2

Sure enough, Emily feels fingers on her face twenty minutes later.

"Momma."

"What is it, sweetheart," she murmurs, her eyes fluttering open. Her heart clenches because AJ can see over the edge of their pretty high bed now. Her four-year-old is growing up too fast.

"I wanna play."

Emily reaches out, strokes her hand over AJ's hair. "What does the clock say?"

"Eights," AJ answers. "I play in mine room. Like Dada say."

"Good girl," Emily praises, because AJ's and early riser. Emily normally is too, but Baby Three and her hormones have been wreaking havoc on her energy level. She hates it, feels like she can't get near the amount of things done in a day she wants. She sighs, because if AJ's awake, it'll be mere moments before Katie is too. She seems to have this second sense for when things are happening around her and without her.

"Momma, eights means uppie."

Actually, Emily's pretty sure she could hit nine before really feeling like she wanted to wake, but her daughter demands attention. She sighs and tries to will herself up. Except a moment later, Aaron's shifting at her back (oh, she'd forgotten he'd stayed home) and AJ's squealing at her father's presence.

"Dada!"

Aaron laughs, propping his chin on Emily's shoulder. "Come here, Princess."

Little feet patter around the bed and Aaron makes an exaggerated sound of effort as he lifts his first daughter to their bed. Apparently, he really is set on a lazy morning, evidenced by the way he leans back with AJ on his chest. She giggles.

"Dada work."

"Not today," he answers around her little fingers. "Daddy's not going to work today."

Emily smiles as she rolls over. It's precious minutes, she knows, because the minute Katie cries, Jack'll be up too. Their youngest, minus the one she's currently building, isn't really the quietest of toddlers.

"'Prise!" AJ exclaims, throwing her hands up and everything. Aaron and Emily both laugh as he drags their daughter down to raspberry her neck. AJ giggles.

"That's right, sweetheart," Aaron says, pressing kisses over their little girl's cheeks. "Surprise." He cuddles her close, pressing against her back and AJ sags against him. "What do you want to do today?"

AJ hums a little, just like her mom. Aaron grins at Emily so wide she thinks his cheeks must hurt. "Play."

"Play what?" he asks.

"'Side!"

"Oh, baby, no," Emily has to say. "Look."

AJ pouts as she catches sight of the rain. They've had pretty dismal weather for Jack's break, actually, and certainly unseasonal weather too. They're getting rain, not snow, and Emily's had to keep all the kids cooped up inside. Katie's pretty easy to entertain, thankfully, but AJ's getting cranky with all the inside stuff.

"'Side, Momma."

She sounds so forlorn that Emily's chest aches. She rubs her hand absently against the ache. She hates it when she can't grant her kids' simplest requests.

"I have an idea," Aaron pipes up, jostling AJ on his chest. She giggles again and slides off, curls up in a small ball between her parents. He leans down until he can get his forehead against their daughter's. "How about a fort?"

AJ's eyes light up. "Castle," she breathes. "Dada make castle!"

Emily laughs, feels her chest clench again. She's warming up to the idea of Aaron spending the day at home with her and the kids, not only because it lifts the burden but because it's been too long since they've done things as a family, just because. Their weekends are always packed, and that's whenever he isn't marking or prepping lessons, whenever Jack doesn't have soccer or there aren't any BAU family gatherings or playdates.

"Yeah," Aaron says, kissing AJ's head. "We'll build a big fort. In the TV room."

A whole room. That's going to take all day. Emily grins because she can't help it.

"But first," he growls, leaning in so he can blow raspberries against AJ's stomach now. "Mommy wants pancakes."

"Oh yes, Dada," AJ agrees breathlessly, love and admiration shining in her eyes. These are the moments they both live for. "Cakes. Now, Dada?"

Emily laughs as Aaron huffs. AJ's a demanding little thing. She sees his mouth open, is pretty sure he's about to attempt a convincing tale of how they should wait just a little bit longer when the baby monitor goes off with a cry. That changes his tune.

"Yeah, sweetheart," he says, sifting to lift AJ into his arms. "Let's go get those pancakes started."


	3. Chapter 3

Emily watches her husband and daughter walk from the room, chatting quietly about breakfast. The unexpected laziness of the day leaves a warm feeling in her heart, one that brings tears to her eyes. She takes a minute, buries her head in her pillow because sometimes where she is just overwhelms her. Her family, her life. Sometimes it's too much.

"Emily?"

She gets herself together, has to, because Jack's standing in the doorway. "I know," she says, because he's asking after Katie. "I've got her."

Jack nods, rubs at his eyes.

"Go back to bed," she urges. "You're on vacation."

"I didn't hear Annie."

Oh. She feels those tears again. Jack's so good with AJ. She thinks it's because he's still a bit in awe of her. And AJ doesn't keep her adoration of her older brother a secret.

"She's downstairs with Dad."

Jack stops rubbing at his eyes, arching an eyebrow up in a move that is so his father. She huffs out a laugh.

"Last day of Spring Break," Emily offers. "Dad called in sick."

"Dad never calls in sick."

It's her turn to arch an eyebrow now, this time in amusement. "And he promised Annie a fort."

"Is he feeling okay?"

That makes Emily laugh outright and she pushes herself out of bed, waddling over to rub at his hair. He tries to duck, but she's already succeeded in leaving his hair sticking up at all angles. "Let's not look a gift horse in the mouth, huh?"

Jack's face is an odd mix of a glare and a question and she bites her cheek against laughter.

"Go," she urges, and follows at a much more sedate pace. As Jack thumps his way down the stairs, already calling for Aaron and Annie, Emily slips into the room just at the top of the stairs. Katie's sitting there, wailing.

"Hey Katie-Bear," Emily greets softly and Katie's tears stop almost immediately.

"Mamamama," she babbles and Emily laughs, dropping the side of the crib to pull her daughter out. They're going to need another one, she thinks, because she knows Aaron's reluctant to give Katie her own bed. She's almost two though, and Emily thinks that maybe it's time.

Katie curls immediately into her shoulder, a spot she'd claimed as a baby and almost always refuses to give up. Sometimes storytime in the big bed is a little crowded. Emily wouldn't have it any other way.

"Morning, baby," she murmurs, getting her hand on the back of Katie's head and bouncing a little. Katie gets her fingers in her mother's hair and tugs inadvertently. "Oh, okay. Not Mommy's hair."

She heads to the rocking chair as she detangles Katie's hands from her hair and settles into it, It's a little awkward with Katie and her stomach, but Emily wants just a minute with her two youngest and she's going to take it before she dives head first into the chaos of the day. She shifts around until they're both comfortable, until she can rest her head against Katie's.

"It's going to be a good day," she murmurs quietly, trailing her fingers through Katie's still growing hair. Like AJ's, they're letting it grow out. It makes Emily laugh because Aaron's the one that insists on all the little barrettes and bows. Emily's too low maintenance and all too aware of the maintenance of long hair to care.

She lets Katie get her little socked feet on her stomach. She's tiny, their Katie, but her little brother kicks at her regardless. It makes Emily laugh as Katie jolts. "He's just saying hi."

"Baby," Katie says quietly looking down at her feet. "Mama, baby."

"Yeah," Emily agrees. "Baby. Mommy's got a baby in her tummy. We should be able to meet him soon."

Katie babbles, and Emily laughs.

"You know everyone's up, don't you," she says because they can hear the clash of pans, the hum of the radio that Aaron always turns on when he cooks. "You want to go join the party."

Katie bounces and Emily sighs. So much for quiet few minutes. "Okay, okay. Hang on."

She has to use the momentum of the chair to get her up but Katie settles when they're moving again, out of the room and very, very carefully down the stairs.

After all, her family's waiting.


End file.
